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Orc
The orcs are a species of huldre within Thaelis-Y'Aada. Creation Story Near the dawn of time, the hollow and oak trolls decided upon a plan to safeguard creation. They collaborated and developed the spiritual blueprints for the first humanoid species, the orc. Personality Orcs are a patient species, slow to act and even slower to anger. A wise and introverted people, the orcs have great memories of history and although tolerant, they have a reticence towards most outsiders because of the disasters many of the younger species have brought to Thaelis-Y’Arda. Orcs believe that the only true failure is the failure to learn from your mistakes. An orc draws his or her self-worth from the effort put into their life, not from the results of those efforts. They are perhaps the least egotistical of all species, but their straightforward and blunt methods of communication can often lead others to think they are arrogant and dismissive. The expression of affection is of high value within orcish culture. If you have a positive emotion towards another, it is only natural that you should make it known to them. Tenderness and benevolence is shown both towards loved ones and the needy within orcish communities but also towards outsiders in need of aid. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is common among the orcish people, with the most typical symptoms focusing around even numbers, particularly those divisible by 4. Image Orcs are a relatively short species, standing on average around 5’6’’ tall for both genders. They have rectangular bodies with short legs ending in four-toed feet and relatively long, gangly arms. Their heads have long drooping ears and small beady eyes set below their large, flared nasal openings. Heavy tusks protrude from the lower jaws, which are much larger in males than in females. Orcs have short, poorly developed tails which protrude from their rears. Skin colour is typically green to mottled green-grey, and the most common eye colours are dark green, brown and grey. Inter-species Relations History Disposition Orcish leadership is dominated by the wisest and most experienced among their people. Although considered primitive by most other races that build cities and thrive upon the intrigue of politics, the orcish race are a peaceful and efficient culture based upon charity, freedom and individual responsibility. with a tradition steeped in the knowledge of how to stave off demons from the soul, they have a strong tendency towards Purity. Where in the World The orcs dwell almost exclusively within their timeless homeland of Urchano, which translates to mean "Sacred Orc Home" in Korakx. Several small colonies dwell upon the Isle of Magic, where the Pillar of Chronomancy stands in honour to Tey'Kor-Akx the World-Weaver. Religion The orcs exclusively follow the teachings of the old religions, those of the trolls and the Primordials (excluding, of course, Oblivion, whose worship is forbidden under pain of death). Their homeland is dotted with ancient stone monoliths dedicated to their creators and the great spirits that make up Creation. Orcs place a great emphasis upon existing in harmony with the natural world around them. Great significance is attached to the turning of the cycles through the eleven chains, and to the days presided over by each of the Primordials (see Culture, below). Orc temples to Nito serve as their sacred burial sites. They are vast underground chambers constructed in great mounds or within natural passageways of rock which are used to commemorate the dead and honour the tales of the ancestor ghosts known as "chepi" so that their deeds might persist through the generations. These tombs have upright flagstones built into the walls, and at either end of the catacomb are compartments, one of which is full of piled orc bones and has walls lined with the skulls and bones of important elders. The other compartment is a shrine dedicated to Nito itself. There is only one entrance to each of the temples. Since the dawn of the 2nd Era, orc burial chambers built to house the remains of sages and leaders have been constructed to channel the light of Mithras into the tomb of chieftans during Sun's Height when the primordial hangs stationary above Creation for nine consecutive days. Language(s) Orcs speak the language of magic itself, that of Korakx. Names Statistical Modifications Male: -1 DEX, +1 VIG, -1 INT, +1 DIS Female: -1 STR, -1 DEX, +1 VIG, -1 INT, +1 DIS Occupations Social Structure Architecture Orc villages are mounds of heaped earth containing around a dozen circular houses whose walls are held together by drystones. In each house, the focal point is the hearth or fire in the centre of the room. The far wall from the entrance contains storage shelves and on either side are bed-slabs. Each house contains 5-10 individuals living in conditions that are cramped by most species' standards. The entire village is contained within a single mound. Low passages of ceiling-ed stone connect each house to the others. Walls rise inwards to meet roofing joists covered with turf, and the village from outside appears as a low hill broken only by the turf-covered rooves of the houses. Culture Orcish society is very social and centres around the stone henges that this people have constructed throughout their homeland. An orc henge is a large circle of standing stones that is surrounded by a ditch and earthen bank. The henges are used for social gatherings, mate-finding and seasonal festivals. Each village attending a particular henge erects its own stone at the perimeter, signifying that they are part of the larger regional community. Strong bonds form between communes with each henge moot. Eleven days of each cycle are revered with particular intensity by the orcish people. These are the days presided over by each of the eleven Primordials. On the 8th day, the Day of Numbers, new magus initiations take place at the regional henge. On the 13th Day of Soil, agricultural rites are performed throughout the orcish farmlands to bless the earth with rites designed to promote fruitful crop yields. On the 23rd, the Day of Oceans, communities travel to nearby bodies of standing water (or the coast, if it is within reach) in order to pay homage to Dagon through specific rituals. On the 30th, the Day of the Dead, the henge is used to commune with the ancestor chepi. On the 44th, the Day of Fire, great pyres are constructed within the henges and ritual dances take place around the flames in honour of Ignis. The orcish Festival of Light takes place upon the 50th day, the Day of Sunlight. Burnt offerings to the Open Sky are made upon the 60th Day of the Skay presided over by Urana, and food scraps are offered up to the eagles. Communal meditation occurs every 70th day of each cycle in honour of Dr'Oon. On the 77th day, work of any kind is forbidden to pay homage to the ancient Void. On Sif's Day of Ice, anxious prayer is undertaken even now that the elder has fallen from the skies, a hangover of ancient tradition. The last day of each cycle, the Long Night of the Hunting Moon, is reserved for seclusion - orc families remain inside their dwellings and draw numerous warding glyphs around their communal mounds to defend against demons and other evil spirits. Diet Orcs are vegetarians, and cannot digest meat. They subsist off of roots, leaves, and bark, but can also process soil and some base minerals for nutrition. They can also produce small twig-like growths from their bodies which suck up water from the soil around them. Breeding Orcs reach sexual maturity slowly and mate for life, observing strict monogamy between pairs. For some unknown reason (or perhaps known only to the elder scholars amongst this people) orcs have the highest rate of birth deformity in the world, around 1 out of every 40 orcs having significant deformities. The orcs tend to see their deformities as an opportunity to exercise gratitude in the face of adversity. Half-Breeds Orcs are able to breed with ogres (although this rarely ever happens), and their writings hint at their capability to produce fertile offspring with the boggarts, a now-extinct species once dwelling in Arktorah's ancient forests. Currency Orcs operate within a society that depends upon charity and goodwill. They regard the phenomenon of material currency as a neutral commodity, neither scorning it or celebrating it. However, they trade amongst themselves based upon reciprocal favours. Food is shared voluntarily because each orc understands that they are a part of something greater than themselves. World View Lifespan Orcs live on average to an age of 275 cycles. Total Population Around 500,000 Benefits Weaknesses